As Damian concealed himself, he heard the telltale sound of footsteps approaching. Five Reapers entered the caged area, their low groans and guttural sounds filling the air as they communicated with each other in their own peculiar language.

Damian steadied himself, remaining undetected as the Reapers systematically searched the area, congregating around the empty cage where Elio had been held captive. Finally, the Reapers moved on to check the other cages, their attention momentarily diverted.

Seizing the opportunity, Damian slipped out from his hiding spot, careful to avoid making any noise. With Elio slung over his shoulder and the sample of tar in hand, Damian made his way to the entrance of the tunnel.

Once outside, Damian began to glance around the dimly lit alleyway, scanning the shadows for any sign of the creature he had sent to hide. Soon the creature emerged from the darkness, its form shifting and blending seamlessly with its surroundings as it approached Damian.

Without hesitation, Damian tossed Elio onto the creature's back, ensuring that he was secure before gesturing for the creature to follow him. Together, they made their way through the labyrinthine streets of the Neon District, sticking to the back alleys and shadowed pathways to avoid detection by CCTV.

When they needed to cross the street, Damian hoisted Elio onto his back, carrying him piggyback style while the creature camouflaged itself to blend in with its surroundings. They moved quickly and quietly, their movements swift and calculated as they navigated the dangerous streets trying to avoid the Reapers who control the district.

After what felt like an eternity, they finally reached their destination: Oscar's medical shop. The shop had been ransacked by looters after Oscar's abduction, but luckily the door was still intact, albeit left wide open for opportunistic thieves.

Damian ushered the creature and the unconscious Elio inside, careful to avoid the broken glass and debris scattered across the floor. Once they were safely inside, Damian closed the door and locked it securely, ensuring their privacy and safety.

With Elio and the creature settled inside the shop, Damian retrieved the phone from his chest cavity and dialed Trish's number.

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"Hey, Trish," Damian greeted as the call connected.

"Damian, how are things on your end?" Trish's voice sounded concerned yet composed.

"I'm at Oscar's shop," Damian replied, his tone serious. "I have the tar sample from Sasha. I need you to make some time and come by to collect it."

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Trish responded. "Okay, Cole seems to be rapidly healing and should be well enough to move around by the evening. I'll tell Zeke to look after him and make my way over there as soon as I can. Hold tight."

"Thanks, Trish. I have something else for you to check out but we’ll talk about that when you get here," Damian said before ending the call.

As Damian settled in to wait for Trish. The minutes stretched into hours, each passing moment filled with thoughts of what to do next. Over the course of the wait, Elio stirred twice, his conduit healing constitution causing him to awaken briefly. However, Damian swiftly intervened, knocking him out both times to avoid dealing with him in his slightly dazed and feral state.

Finally, after a long while, Trish arrived. She apologized for making him wait, explaining that Cole had been reluctant to let her leave, fearing she might get into trouble.

Damian waved off her apology, happy that she had made it without drawing any attention to them. Together, they made their way to the back room of Oscar's shop, where Elio and the creature awaited.

Trish's eyes widened with intrigue as she studied the creature, her curiosity piqued by its docile demeanor. Damian could sense her fascination, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in his creation.

After a few minutes of examination, Trish turned her attention to the unconscious boy lying on the table. "What's with the boy?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

Damian extended his hand, and as Trish grasped it, their memories melded together in a seamless exchange. In an instant, Trish understood who Elio was and what Damian wanted her to do.

"Do you want me to take custody of him?" Trish asked, her gaze unwavering.

Damian nodded solemnly, gesturing towards the creature. "Him too."

Trish accepted without hesitation, understanding the gravity of the situation. She knew that Elio would grow to become a powerhouse similar to Nix in New Marais. As for the creature, leaving it here would be safer than if it followed her. Here it could protect this building so that when Trish split from Cole’s group she could have a safe house in the Neon District.

As they finalized their arrangements, Trish turned her attention to Elio, her mind already formulating a plan to help him recover from the effects of Sasha's mind-controlling tar.

"I think his natural conduit healing should purge the tar eventually, now that he isn't being constantly exposed to it," Trish remarked. "I'll take him for now and try to form a connection with him as a savior or something."

With their immediate concerns addressed, Trish turned to Damian, her expression serious. "What about the young girl you met before, Isabella Castiego?"

Damian thought for a moment, weighing his options. "Leave her be for now," he replied finally. "Focus on dealing with the tar. Once Sasha has been dealt with, I'll worry about tracking her down."

Damian then handed over the can filled with tar. “Call me as soon as you know the way to deal with the drugs in her system.”

“Okay, so what are you gonna do now?” asked Trish to which Damian answered, “Nothing much, I’ll rest here until I receive your results.”

Trish nodded, picked up the unconscious Elio as if he weighed nothing, and left Oscar’s shop. Damian locked up and ordered the creature to guard the building as he found an area to close his eyes and once again enter his mindscape.